The 5 Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs Under $800 [Reviewed]

By Gregory Vaks | Last Updated February 17, 2019

With the continuous stream new games, a PC remains the best platform to play games on.

From the best games in class, such as the Dark Souls to intense shooting expeditions like the Far Cry 5, getting the best PC gaming PC suiting your budget makes a world of difference when it comes to gaming experience.

Many gamers prefer building their own PCs, but there is no denying that there is much simplicity in buying an already prebuilt PC. Initially, top-notch gaming PCs were available at ludicrous prices that encouraged people to build their own.

However, currently, there are many prebuilt PCs available at lower prices that can save any first-time builder the time and burden.

There is a lot to consider when buying a prebuilt gaming PC. The components of the system are the least consequential as most gaming PCs come readily configured to suit most gamers needs (Source).

Therefore, you should instead focus on the PCs design, cable management, warranty and upgradeability. To ease your selection, our extensive research led us to the following best prebuilt gaming PC’s.

NOTE: Although this guide reviews “Prebuilt Gaming PC’s Under $800”, we cannot guarantee actual product pricing. Prices are subject to change on Amazon.com and its subsidiaries at any time. We do NOT guarantee any product mentioned here to actually be under $800 at the time of purchase.

If you are looking for a dummy-proof upgradability PC with future-proof specs, the Alienware Aurora R7 should be your PC of choice. As it is with most pre-built gaming PCs, this isn’t just a computer. It encompasses a whole group of computers that you can choose from and personalize the specs based on your liking and budget.

Despite not being the cheapest of all the models on our list, this model packs extensive features that amaze all gaming enthusiasts. Starting with its design, this PC is definitely a good-looking rig. It has a down-to-earth style yet offers extreme customizability.

Measuring only 18.6 x 14.2 x 8.35 inches, the Alienware Aurora R7 isn’t exactly compact in design but isn’t bulky either. It weighs approximately 37.67lbs, but the hand at the top makes it easy to carry around. The large exhausts along the top take most of the internal space that is complemented by sizable intakes on the front and right size providing good airflow.

Perhaps the best thing concerning its design, if not portability is the accessibility. Its chassis features a tool-less and easily upgradable design. Removing the right side lid, for instance, only requires you to pull a lever on its back.

Performance is the hallmark of gaming PCs. As for the Alienware Aurora R7, it comes with an excellent processor, sizeable RAM and top-notch GPU. At the heart of this is the Intel Core I7 CPU that ranks among the best compared to quad-core processors that powered previous models.

It is rare for PC makers to brand their pre-built PC rig as VR- ready. What adds to this unusual feature is doing so with a computer that is ready to conquer all the games thrown at.

Well, this is exactly what you should expect from the HP Pavilion Power Gaming PC. It is a tower with great graphical efforts that aren’t thwarted by its preparedness for VR usage, not its inexpensive nature.

The HP Pavilion Power Gaming PC is built for a broad range of PC gaming demands. It fits gaming enthusiasts budget, whether they are in the market for a better-powered rig for smooth gaming or just need to test VR.

Beginning with its design, the HP Pavilion Power Gaming PC, though it might not appear that way, weighs only 33lbs. It comes with a grab handle that makes it easy to transport. With such weight, your idea of portability might not be met but can be switched from rooms or events easily.

Some of this PCs subtle features include the facing VR ports and two USB 3.1 ports that should interest technology enthusiasts. Its graphics card can also be mounted standing up. The PCs cooling system stays whisper quiet even after several hours of intense gameplay.

As for its performance, this PC offers outstanding performance that lets you enjoy your games with no fuss or muss. The back of the system has an extra HDMI port for use with VR kits. You need some software tools to switch this on.

The Lenovo IdeaCentre Y720 Cube is a perfect PC of choice for first time PC gamers looking to enjoy their gaming experience. It balances its boxy design with a carrying handle to enhance its appeal, majorly to console your sensibilities.

The PC comes with an already installed Xbox wireless adapter, an advantage for people who prefer using controllers on their PC. As for its horsepower, this system will allow you to crank everything you need to. This includes a maximum quality setting of 4K.

The machines Intel core I3 combined with Nvidia GPU with medium to high-quality graphics settings offer an exceptional gaming performance. With such, you can hover around with 50 FPS on intense games such as the Doom and Battlefield 1. However, expect quite lower for games like GTA V and Rise of the Tomb Raider.

If you are looking for a cost-effective solution to play some of the modern games at 60FPS, consider the CyberPower Gamer Xtreme PC. This is one of the best gaming PCs under the 800 price mark that brings a perfect combination of impressive looks with great performance.

This powerful mid-range gaming PC is set within a black case designed with bright red LED fans on the front and back. This enhances not only its stunning look but also its design.

Being a prebuilt system, it comes preloaded with Windows 10, a complementary keyboard and mouse. It runs on an AMD RX 580 4GB graphics card, one of the few cards considered capable of outdoing the 3GB GTX card performance. Its additional 1GB VRAM lends this graphics card a better competitive edge over its competitors. However, it increases its heat output, power consumption and noise level.

If you are concentrating on graphics horsepower, better make peace with the little pitfalls CyberPower Gamer Xtreme PC offers. It runs on a Core i5 processor that adds its ability to handle gaming with much ease. The processor also enables the PC to multitask, with the exception of streaming and video encoding which are beyond the 4-core chip capabilities.

The PC is VR ready and features an 8GB DDR4 RAM with 1TB HDD memory. As for its connectivity, it comes with Wi-Fi, DVD drive, USB and Ethernet support among other intriguing features.

For the Skytech ArchAngel ST-ARCH Gaming PC, the first unique and striking feature is the quirky design that makes the system resemble a downscaled version of alien spaceships from your favorite sci-fi thrillers.

As if this isn’t enough, beneath this aesthetic design lies not only a well-built but also well-performing gaming PC equipped with utmost stellar components. Of much importance is the AMD FX-6300 Hexacore CPU complemented by the GTX 1050 4GB graphics card.

Its AMD chipset motherboard features an installed Wi-Fi adapter and the internal components fired up by a 430W premium PSU. For great ventilation, the Skytech ArchAngel ST-ARCH Gaming PC sports a white Thermaltake snow edition case full of transparent panels on the side.

The PCs blue LED fans gleam through the transparent panels lending off the system’s edgy, off-beat performance. With such an appearance, you can be certain of something with an amazing and show-stopping look.

Moving to its performance, you will appreciate its high-end specs that never disappoint. Its GTX 1050 video card complemented by the FX-6300 processor enables the PC to deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p resolution. This makes it an ideal choice for intense gaming.

The Skytech ArchAngel ST-ARCH Gaming PC comes preloaded with Windows 10 home, 8GB RAM and 1TB hard disk drive. This makes it suitable for both gaming and multi-tasking. Since it doesn’t have bloatware, you can be certain of speedy installation of games through its 24x optical drive. You can as well send online via Wi-Fi.

Pros

Good for gaming and multitasking

Great connectivity

Awesome design and appearance

Amazing performance

One-year warranty on parts

Cons

Issues with overheating

Windows update can be challenging

Things to Consider Before Buying Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $800

Having decided that you want to play Star Wars, Assassin’s Creed Origins or leap into some virtual reality with your PC, the big question beckons, what is the best PC to buy? What graphics card or CPU should you get? What about upgradability or the tower size?

Before investing your money in purchasing a gaming PC, consider the following tips.

Gaming PC Design

PC designs often are directly proportional to its price. With a budget of 800, you can get a desktop with equal parts as the gaming rig performance. Avoid some trick out systems used by manufacturers such as custom paint jobs, see-through windows, colored cables and liquid cooling that may command high price tags.

Performance

Investing in quality gaming PC is worthwhile. Therefore, for a fulfilling experience, consider either AMD’s Polaris or Nvidia Pascal GPUs. Despite being quite pricier, they provide the much power you require for years to come. If you are on a less tight budget, you can consider the NVidia’s new GTX GPUs that sell low but meet the basic gaming requirements.

As for the RAM, never settle for something less than 8GB. Some games can be CPU intensive and require a bit of RAM to achieve higher frame rates. As for the processors, anything between core i3 and core i7 can work well.

Upgradability

With the current trend, a new cycle of motherboards, GPUs, RAM and storage parts are developed every dawn. Therefore, at some point, you will need to swap out one or two parts of the PC to keep up with time. Therefore, when making a selection, consider getting an easily accessible interior including the RAM, motherboard, GPU and fans.

Ports

For a gaming PC, the more ports, the better. To connect your monitor, VR headsets, peripherals and others, you will need a PC with at least 6 USB 3.0 ports as well as one or more HDMI port. You can also consider a system with USB type –C as well as Thunderbolt ports to provide an advantage of fast speeds.

Our Final Review

Perhaps the biggest advantage of building your own gaming PC is the ability to handpick every component of the system. With this, you can shop around for deals and a perfect combination of various parts that fit your budget and performance.

However, for inexperienced builders, the whole process can take quite some time. Besides, there is a huge potential for picking something wrong. In such situations, going for a prebuilt gaming PC is wise.

Prebuilt gaming PCs are delivered ready with great quality components. This saves you huge chunks of playing time. Apart from the competition, design is one of the biggest factors that guided our choice of these best PCs.

Systems like the Alienware Aurora come complete with an in-house chassis that you can’t get when building on your own. You should also look at the PCs size, performance, compatibility with upgrades and VR readiness.

All the above-mentioned PCs are perfect examples of gaming systems that pack great performance, design and innovation in mid-range desktops.

From the list above, which one is your favorite prebuilt gaming PC under 800? Share with us in the comments section below.

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About Gregory Vaks

Greg works full-time as a software developer, but enjoys writing about Tech products and gadgets in his free time. He previously worked at Verizon as a Security Analyst, and most recently at Bloomberg as a Data Analyst.

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